Decorative metal grilles and grates have been used for many years to enhance the beauty of houses and at the same time secure the windows and other openings to prevent unauthorized entry. In early times, these grates were permanently affixed to the structure about the window, however, it quickly became apparent that not only did such grilles prevent entry from the outside but they also prevented emergency exit from within the building, many times with tragic results. Thereafter grilles have been hinged and lock mechanisms are employed to retain the grille in position blocking the window except during times of emergency. If the key or other device required to open the lock mechanism is placed remotely from the mechanism, the grille becomes dangerous especially to strangers or children attempting to open the grille. When easily manipulated mechanisms are employed, a screen or mesh must be used in addition to the grille to prevent an intruder from reaching through the grille and unlocking the mechanism.
Some lock mechanisms have been operable through the adjacent wall utilizing chains or the like which are secured a sufficient distance away from the window that an intruder cannot reach them. Unfortunately to open such grilles requires that the chain be dragged out through the hole. On occasion the chain gets hung up and prevents the quick opening of the grille. A second type has been developed where nothing is dragged through the wall and what is in the wall stays in the wall. The latch stays outside the wall connected to some sort of lock mechanism on the interior wall so that the possibilities of hang up are substantially less. Such devices heretofore have required either the aforementioned screen or mesh to prevent entry or a grossly oversized grille so that the lock mechanism is a sufficient distance away from the window to prevent its manipulation from the exterior of the building. In this latter case there have been occasions when the lock mechanism was so remote from the window that the untrained occupant could not operate the latch release successfully to open the grille and escape in emergency situations.